Southwest Airlines has converted 24 Boeing 737 MAX 7 aircraft order into the larger MAX 8 variant due to delays in certification, reports Reuters. With this the airline hopes to receive new aircraft faster and meet growing demand.
The Southwest news comes on the heels of Boeing announcement of delays in first deliveries of MAX 7 variant towards 2024.
The MAX 7 is the smallest variant of Boeing's 737 MAX family, and it has faced multiple delays regarding receiving certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) just like the 737 MAX 10.
Earlier this year, Southwest chief executive, Bob Jordan said: “I am not counting on the MAX 7 being delivered this year, it now appears to be confirmed based on the latest news from Boeing stating that the MAX 7 may not be certified by the end of this year.”
Although this conversion will not impact Boeing’s overall numbers, experts feel that it might impact the confidence of other operators in MAZ 7 capabilities potentially influencing the decision of other operators.
Besides the MAX 7, Boeing is also facing hurdles with certification regarding the larger MAX 10 variant and B777X.
Boeing already anticipates further cancellations or order conversions as FAA continues to delay the certification of 737MAX and 777X variants. As of June, Boeing notes that aircraft cancellations totaled over $10 billion and a net decrease in the order book, primarily related to the order for the 737 MAX.